January 19, 2018 AT 2:00 pm

This month, 15 Johns Hopkins students are learning the ins and outs of a versatile device capable of these and infinitely more functions: the Raspberry Pi, a small, green single-board computer capable of fitting inside an Altoids tin.

The Raspberry Pi DIY Intersession course, offered by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Whiting School of Engineering, provides students with not only the Pis but also a fleet of peripheral devices such as LED light panels, Google-compatible voice kits, and a series of sensors and circuits enabling them to build their own devices. Students are guided through setup and programming before being unleashed to pursue their own Pi-powered projects.

“You don’t have to take what The Man gives you,” he says half-seriously to the class in their second meeting. “When you master this kind of computer engineering, you won’t be beholden to anyone—you can get these devices to do what you want.”

Each Friday is PiDay here at Adafruit! Be sure to check out our posts, tutorials and new Raspberry Pi related products. Adafruit has the largest and best selection of Raspberry Pi accessories and all the code & tutorials to get you up and running in no time!